Nobodies & Somebodies
by neighborehood
Summary: AU: In a world where Nobodies and Somebodies are wrong and right, falling in love can be fatal.  Based on the Malorie Blackman 'Noughts & Crosses' triology . Action/Romance/Angst INDEFINITE HAITUS
1. Nobodies and Somebodies: Different

_**D.**_i_f._**f**_**e.**_r_e._**n**t

Us and Them. Them and Us.

In this universe, you're either on this side, or the other.

Equality doesn't exist, otherwise the XIII wouldn't be fighting for it, would they?

Our future is decided on the color of our skin.

Rich, healthy, tanned skin gives you a guarantee for a happy, prosperous future.

Pale, vampire-white skin means...well, you might as well just forget about the future altogether.

Nobodies and Somebodies. Somebodies and Nobodies.

Wrong and Right. Right and Wrong.

We are 'freaks of nature', and since medieval times have been treated as slaves.

Why, then, were we created? To suffer like this? To watch the _others_ enjoy themselves, living their happy, planned lives, being able to walk in the streets without being mobbed, assaulted, raped or worse?

As far as the police are concerned, Nobodies don't exist for being protected.

Nobodies like me are born into a cruel, cruel world.


	2. Nobodies and Somebodies: Hostage

_n-O-b-O-d-Y_

_~s.t.a.r.t~_

_S-o-M-e-B-o-D-y_

_~s.t.a.r.t~_

_**H**_**.**o_s.__**ta.**_g_e_

His deadly pale skin made the cut across his cheek seemingly glow. He winced as he slipped a plaster over it, feeling it grip onto the wound.

He wiped his hands on his denim pants, grabbing his face mask off the counter and slipping it over his head before heading out of the apartment.

He pulled his hood on, looking from left to right before heading in his intended direction. He was cautious not to look any of the pedestrians in the eyes, ready to use the Glock 23-extended edition that rested in his left pocket whenever needed. Either that, or the Swiss Army Knife that was in his left pocket.

Nothing was going to be in his way tonight.

He hadn't always been like this.

There was a time when he had been called the biggest pacifist in his family. No matter what the Somebodies threw at him, he refused to become their enemy. He wanted equality, but was prepared to accept their views if it meant no war.

But then his big brother was falsely accused of murder, and he had to endure the horrible ordeal of watching his brother hang, the Somebodies observing the display with gruesome smiles, excited, loving the gory display of yet another 'blanker' being erased from the face of the Earth.

Despair was the first emotion he felt, then came anger.

And it changed him.

That was the reason why that night he wasn't going to let anything get in between himself and the target.

The Somebodies were going to pay.

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

She sighed, adjusting her hold on her Dolce & Gabbana handbag (another birthday present given to her from one of her father's many, many, many colleagues). The spring breeze whipped at her blonde tresses, and she bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet.

Today was when the latest episode of _Pretty Little Liars_, her favorite soap,was coming out, and she couldn't miss it for the world. According to her friends, this was the episode when the protagonist couple were finally going to kiss, and if she didn't get to see that she would kill herself. Call her sappy, but she was a sucker for romance.

And popcorn.

Her stomach rumbled, and she zipped her plush sweater up higher as another gust of breeze whipped past her. She sighed in annoyance, hurriedly fixing her hair. "What's taking them so long?" She whined to her bodyguard, looking up and down the road for her limozine. When her bodyguard didn't respond, she muttered spitefully: "Ugh, i might as well be talking to a wall..."

What she saw when she turned around made her stumble backwards in shock.

Her bodyguard lay lifeless on the street, his neck slit and several spots of crimson dotting his suit. The strong metallic scent filled her lungs and made her feel queasy, and she took another step backwards—

She was suddenly grabbed from behind, a gloved hand clamping over her mouth and muffling her screams. She lashed out at her assaulter with her arms and legs, but to no avail. His grip was too strong.

All her struggling got her was a blow in the stomach. She felt as if her insides had been shattered to pieces, her stomach feeling as if it was on fire, and tears spilling from her eyes. She felt dizzy and weak, and she struggled to stay awake. The dots shadowing her vision verified the fact that she was slipping into darkness, and she collapsed into her assaulters arms.

_Somebody...save me...please..._were her final thoughts before she slipped into unconsciousness.

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

He hauled the target over his shoulder, picking up her discarded bag from the floor. He slipped the handbag onto his right shoulder before retrieving his cell phone and speed-dialling the intended number. While waiting for the receiver to pick up, he eased the blood-spattered corpse under a bush. He had been careful not to leave any fingerprints, but he could never me too careful. The phone he held in his hand didn't belong to him either; it was probably his seventh phone in two weeks. The Somebody police force had recently managed to pick up on telephone lines, and he had to be cautious not to stay with the same line for too long.

Three years in the Organization XIII had taught him much.

"Axel speaking!" A cynical, sarcastic voice picked up on the other end. "You got the hostage, Rox?"

"Yeh."

"Yeah, baby!" Axel cheered, and he swore he could almost see his menacing grin. "We've cleared out the alley, so head back to HQ via Base One."

"Got it. Be there in ten."

"You better." He was about to hang up when his voice came through once again. "Oh, and Roxas? Don't screw up, got it memorized?"

"You know that isn't possible, Eight."

"Oh yeh, I forgot who I'm talking to." Axel let out a wild cackle before cutting to call. Roxas sighed, smashed the phone with his fist and discarded it in the bin. He lay the hostage on the ground, searched the corpse in the bushes and stole all his weaponry. Stuff like that could come in handy.

He tucked them all in his leather jacket, grabbed the girl and her handbag, and set off.

His cobalt eyes scanned his surroundings, cautiously slipping in and around buildings when necessary. He didn't stop—it was too dangerous—and he made sure he had his gun at the ready throughout the whole ten minute journey.

Nothing was going to get in his way. Nothing.

He arrived at the destination, where an upturned limozine and a few dead bodies lay inert. The stench of blood filled his nose, but he was so used to it that it didn't bother him anymore.

He scampered up to Axel's truck, rapidly throwing her into the trunk before leaping into the vehicle with the others.

"Right on time, Roku," Axel greeted him, his feline teal eyes glinting in the city lights. His razor-sharp teeth and bleached skin made him look like a vampire. Axel had been his best friend for as long as he could remember. He was the one who found him, after all, when he was searching for a way out. Axel had saved him from a mob of Somebodies, and that was a memory he'd never forget. He may have looked menacing, but he was a good guy at heart. Axel was abandoned at birth, or so he said, and was put in an orphanage for five years, before he was dubbed unhealthy for the other inmates. His prize possession? His old and faithful truck. Scratched and battered, but still running.

He stepped on the pedal and the engine fired up as they set off. They took all unsuspicious routes, hiding in the shadows in order not to get caught.

"Not half bad," one of his female companions saluted, ruffling his blond spikes. In a split-second, she had three knives in her grasp, and she started inspecting them. "Not bad at all..."

"Yes, of course, all Larxene cares about is the weaponry," Axel commented cynically, rolling his eyes. Larxene glared at him, her sea-green eyes boring into his very soul.

Larxene was the sneakiest, most professional pick-pocket in the history of pickpockets. She was known for her agile feet, quick snatching and stunningly good looks. According to Axel, Larxene was wanted for sexual abuse, and he didn't even want to know the details.

"Well yeah," Larxene retorted. "Of course I do. I mean, weapons help. If you just stood in front of a tanner and yelled 'BANG!', i don't think it would do much damage."

"Haha, Larx," Axel muttered dryly, turning another corner.

"You got her handbag?" His strawberry-blond companion asked, grabbing it from him and immediately raiding it. He retrieved a pack of tampons, and his face colored considerably.

"Ugh, gimme those, Demyx," Larxene snapped, snatching them out of his grasp. "I was running out, anyway..."

Demyx stared at Larxene in shock, then his expression relaxed. "Aw yeh, I forgot you were female..."

"What did you just say?" Larxene snarled, giving Demyx one of her famous death glares.

Demyx covered his ashen face, squeaking: "N-Nothing!"

Roxas sighed at the bickering duo and looked back out the window. They arrived at the Headquarters—an abandoned ghetto area with building littered everywhere. The quartet clambered out of the vehicle, retrieved the hostage and headed into a run-down building that was once the Nightfall Mall.

They had chose this building because this was the exact site of the First Nobody Revolution, and the place inspired them. How their ancestors gave up their lives for the cause, how the first freedom fighters were born and dispatched...

The site had been closed down, and was inaccessible to any Somebody. Any Somebody that approached the site was immediately shot and killed. Or worse. They came at their own peril—there was absolutely no security in the area. And that was how they liked it.

The sky was dotted with stars, but they didn't shine for them. They shined for the Somebodies, or so he had been told. He used to believe in God, but after committing to many sins, he found that it was too late for redemption. Oh, and Axel had told him that God was a Somebody anyway, and so was the Christ himself. Every significant figure in history was a Somebody. The Nobodies were nothing.

But that was about to change.

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

She woke up in a dark, cold room.

As soon as she slipped back into consciousness, the pain came back, and she felt queasier than ever. She felt bile coming up and retched hopelessly onto the floor, coughing as her throat burned, bringing tears of pain to her eyes.

She took in her surroundings: there were four walls, all grey and made of hard stone-slash-concrete, all filthy. The concrete she sat on bruised her sensitive knees, and the only light in the room came from a small window too high for her reach. She stumbled to the door, but it was locked tight. No matter how she jiggled it, it wouldn't budge.

She kicked the door in frustration.

She looked at her watch, and gasped when she saw the time to be twelve midnight. She had missed the new episode of _Pretty Little Liars_.

But worst of all, she had been kidnapped.

She collapsed to the ground in hopeless sobs, as the world began to collapse around her.

**A/N: How did you like the first chapter? You may have noticed I've referred to Roxas as 'he' for most of the chapter, and Naminé as 'she'. Well. I thought you might have got it already. Sorry if it was a little confusing.**

**I know I should be working on my other projects, but this idea popped into my mind and I had to write it down. What do you think? Nice? Crappy? Tell me in a review.**

**This story won't be the long, at most, fifteen to twenty chappies, but I'll try to make it good. Roxas is sorta emo in this, but he talks more sooner or later.**

**Zero Namixas fluff, but all that shall come in time. **

**Read and review please, people. I need response. **

**(And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Fanmail. It's in the making, so don't fret!)**

Sneek Peek for following chappie:

"_I'm…I'm Naminé…"_

"_Take off your shirt."_

"_We are holding your daughter hostage."_

"_My name…isn't important."_

**Disclaimer: The 'Noughts and Crosses' triology belongs to Malorie Blackman, and so does the idea. But the plot belongs to me, along with the written work. **


	3. Nobodies and Somebodies: Ransom

_n-O-b-O-d-Y_

_S-o-M-e-B-o-D-y_

_**R**_**.**a_n.__**so.**_m

She didn't have a clue _when_ she fell asleep, but when she did wake up, she felt groggy and disoriented. Her bed felt as hard as concrete for some reason, and her maid must have forgotten to switch on the heater that night as she felt as cold as ice—

Then she opened her eyes, and remembered.

Yesterday hadn't been just a simple nightmare, as she had hoped.

She had been kidnapped. Either that, or she was dead.

Though she expected heaven to look much better...

She shook her pointless thoughts out of her head, once again scanning her surroundings. She had a throbbing headache, and her tanned arms felt as if they had been bound with heavy chains. Her stomach suddenly lurched and she vomited what was left of yesterday's dinner, the acid burning at her throat. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, silently wishing she had her handkerchief.

Her stomach grumbled and she realized how hungry she was. She longed for the warm egg sandwiches with bacon asides she would have had for breakfast, had she not been in this stinking cell.

She shivered, nibbling on her lip and whimpering. _I want Mummy_, she thought, not caring how pathetic and babyish she sounded. Her big sister would probably be laughing at her right now...

The door at the end of the cell creaked open, and in walked two figures, decked in black. She recognized the coats from somewhere; if she remembered correctly, there was a cloaked figure with pink-brown hair that had recently been arrested, but she couldn't remember the name of the group...

That was the least of her worries, as the two figures approached her.

One of them was taller than the other, and when he revealed his face, she gasped.

She should have known.

Nobodies.

The first thing that caught her attention was his flaming red hair, then his weird, somewhat seductive sway to his walk. And then his eyes. His terrorizing, horrific, threatening, intimidating teal eyes.

For some reason, she couldn't bring her body to move, much less to let any word escape from her mouth. He approached her, bringing his face to her eye-level, his monstrous eyes boring into the deep depths of her very soul. She flinched as his cold fingers caressed her cheek and slowly travelled down to her chin. He tilted her chin up, and his lips curved into an amused smirk.

"Well she's a keeper," he cackled, releasing her face and glancing at his companion. "Good catch."

She looked over at his companion, who still hadn't taken off his hood. He had to be her kidnapper, and she instantly hated him.

"Name's Axel," the feline Nobody introduced himself, tapping his forehead. "Got it memorized?"

She nodded fervently, her nails digging into her flesh. Axel chuckled, patted her head and stood up. "Take care of it from here."

She fought back a gasp when Axel tossed the other Nobody a gun. He caught it expertly, tucking it in his coat pocket as Axel exited the room.

The room was silent. An apprehensive, awkward, eerie silence.

She shivered, not taking her eyes off the other figure. He eventually approached her, taking out a crumpled paper from his pocket. She stared at him, her heart thudding rapidly.

"What's your name?" He asked, his face still hidden behind his hood.

"I'm...I'm Namine..." It took all her courage to say what she said next. "May I know who I'm talking to?"

He was quiet for some time. "My name...isn't important."

"I refuse to answer if I don't know who I'm talking to!" She retorted. So she was a bit stubborn, but she really wanted to see his face.

He heaved a heavy, tired sigh, and took off his hood.

The first thing that she noticed were his eyes. Pools of glowing, ocean blue, which seemed to dance and swirl and swoosh, and she was immediately reminded of her private beach, the sand beneath her feet, and the clouds, the spring air, the—

"Happy?" He muttered, handing her the paper. She didn't know what it was about his scowl that made him look so handsome. "Namine, when I say so, you're to read this paper."

She broke her eyes away from his handsome face, scanning over the words. Then she looked up at him. "And wh-why should I do that?"

He answered her question by pointing his rifle at her forehead, and she gasped, feeling the world stop. His glare appeared powerful enough to move mountains. "READ IT."

After a moment's pause, she began to read.

"_Dad, I've b-been ordered to read what's on this sheet. I've been k-kidnapped and the kidnappers say you'll n-never see me again unless I do as I'm instructed. Your instructions will be in the envelope along with the video disc. If you don't I'll…I'll be k-killed. If you go to the police or tell anyone…I'll be killed. The kidnappers will know every move you make and every person you talk to. If you ever w-want to see me alive again, please do as they say_."

Tears of fear rolled down her cheeks as she finished reading the crumpled paper, letting it fall from her fingers. He sighed, stopping the recording and tucking it in his coat pocket. She realized that, seeing as he was wearing gloves, the government would be unable to track him down via DNA. He glanced momentarily at her, bringing out a knife. She was not at all prepared for what he said next.

"Take off your shirt."

Her blood froze, and she choked on her saliva. She couldn't have heard him right, she couldn't… "Wh-what?"

"Take off your shirt, or I'll take it off for you," he repeated, holding out his hand. Her eyes moved from his face, down to his hand, then to the knife in his pocket.

Her hands trembling, she obliged. The cold air brought goosebumps to her bare skin, and she shivered. He glanced at her, looking her up and down before averting his gaze and snatching her shirt away. He sliced her white blouse in two, before kneeling down beside her and grabbing her wrist. She trembled in apprehension, and she gasped instantly as he ran the knife across her wrist, cutting a vein. She started feeling dizzy as she saw the blood drop onto the concrete beneath, her breathing accelerating dangerously.

"Sorry," he mumbled, using one half of her shirt to soak the blood before using the other half to wrap around the wound. She watched his large hands work the knot, and then her gaze travelled to his face.

There was a half-covered wound across his cheek, bright against his pale skin. His jaw was clenched as he worked, his lips parted slightly. His salty breath tickled her cheeks, and when he bent down to tighten the bond with his teeth, she felt his soft blonde spikes brush along her skin.

Despite his color, she admitted, he was very, very handsome.

That didn't stop her from hating him though.

He finished and retrieved the other half of her shirt, starting to head out of the room.

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

"You got it?"

As soon as he exited the room, he was greeted with Axel's rambling. He sighed, tossing the envelope and the camcorder to his best friend, who caught them expertly.

"Hell yeah!" Axel cheered, beginning to watch over the video. Larxene, who was filing her nails, gave the video a nonchalant glance while Demyx yawned. "Proof?"

He tossed him the blood-soaked shirt, heading to the corner of the room to light a cigarette.

Axel grinned in approval, stuffing the contents into a tattered rucksack. "Nice. Good job." He turned to Larxene, who nodded as they had a mini-telepathic conversation.

"You goin' already?" Roxas asked, taking a drag.

"Yup. Better early than never."

"That's 'better _late _than never, idiot," the blonde muttered dryly, flipping through her set of knives.

"Whatever."

"I'm coming with you," Roxas stated, getting ready to get rid of his cigarette.

"No need for that." Axel brushed off his comment, adjusting his straps. "We need someone to stay and take care of the girl."

"Why can't Demyx—"

"You already know the answer to _that_ one," the redhead replied, heading for the door. "He's coming with us. We'll meet some of the guys along the way. Don't let anyone in unless they know the password." With that he opened the door, looking left and right before setting off.

Roxas sighed, taking another drag before heading back into the cell.

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

"_I live in a palace with silver turrets and marble floors and golden walls…" I opened my eyes and saw my house. My heart sank. I tried again. "I live in a mansion with mullion windows and leaded light casements and a swimming pool in the stables of acres and acres of grounds." I opened one eye. It still hadn't worked. "I live in a three up, two down house with a lock and a garden where we grow veggies."_

_I opened both eyes again. It didn't work. It never worked. _

_Every time I came back from wherever I went, after passing by the rich mansions and cottages the Somebodies live in, I hesitated outside the shack that is meant to be my home. Why can't my family have a house like theirs? Why couldn't any Nobody own a house like theirs? _

_I took a deep breath and entered the house, knowing what was coming next. _

"_Where have you been, Roxas? I've been worried sick!"_

"…_around…" _

_Mum's worried expression makes me flinch, and I look away. If I told her what I was actually doing, she'd never let me hear the end of it. _

"_Roxas…?" She stared at me long and hard with her emerald eyes, before finally letting it go. "Food's on the table, honey."_

_I sighed, heading around the seventh-hand threadbare sofa, careful not to walk into the wall that protruded randomly into the walkway, and to our carved wooden table with the wobbly leg, sitting down on a creaky chair. Whenever I saw the spotless oak chairs in the park…_

"_You'd better eat up, Roku," Mum told me, passing me the milk. Milk and water, water and milk. That was all we ever had in this house. Orange juice, or any other juice for that matter, was too expensive. I've only ever tasted it once in my life, and that was on Ventus' sixteenth birthday, when Mum still had a job. "You've got school tomorrow."_

_Oh yeh. School. I totally forgot about that. _

_The law against education for any Nobody above the age of twelve had been abolished, finally, after twenty years. But even then, us Nobodies had to take an entrance exam, and it's a miracle that I passed. No matter how embarrassing it was going to be starting in a class with thirteen to fourteen year olds, I was actually excited about going to school the next day. _

"'_You've got school tomorrow'. I like how that sounds." Mum grinned to herself as she dished some soggy potatoes into my plate. Ventus, who sat opposite from me on our table, was silent as he prodded at his food. _

"_Well I don't," Dad announced, shaking his head at Mum. _

"_Why not?" Mum's smile vanished, a frown creeping across her features._

"_Us Nobodies should have the same facilities and the same schools with the same oppurtunities as the Somebodies. We don't need to mix with…them." He stuffed a fork of potato mush in his mouth._

"_What's wrong with mixing?" I asked without thinking. _

"_It doesn't work," Dad replied instantly, running his hands through his spikes. "As long as the tanners run the school, us Nobodies will always be treated as second-class, second-best nothings. We should educate and look after our own, not wait for the tanners to do it for us."_

_I hated that word he used. 'Tanner'. Yeh, so they called us 'blankers', but that didn't give us a right to use it back…_

"_You never used to believe that…" Mum whispered, wiping her hands on a dishcloth. _

"_Well, I'm not as naïve as I used to be," Dad muttered, stabbing another potato ruthlessly. _

"_Cloud, if our son is going to go anywhere in life, he has to go to their schools and play the game by their rules." _

"_That's all?"_

"_Don't you want more for our son than we ever had?"_

"_How can you ask me that? If you think—"_

"_I'm sure everything will be fine. No need to worry," I interrupted. Dad's lips clamped shut, his expression thunderous. He pushed his plate away and stood up from the table, storming off to his room. _

_Mum looked on after him, a painful, sad look in her eyes. Then she sighed and looked over at us, a sad smile playing on her lips. "I'm sorry about that. Don't mind your Dad. Now hop off to bed; you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."_

_I smiled sadly at Mum before standing up with my scratched steel bowl, heading to the kitchen. As I put my dishes in the sink, Ventus came up behind me and punched me on the arm for good measure, giving me a cold glare before heading off to his room. _

_My big brother had become more and more unbearable since I passed the entrance exam, for a reason unclear to me. I spent every waking moment listening to him telling me how it's all a mistake, how I'll probably become as stuck up as they are._

But I'm going to prove him wrong. I'm going to prove everyone wrong.

I'm going to school tomorrow, and after I get a good education, they'll be nothing that can stop me.

Nothing.

_I had no idea how wrong I was. _

**A/N: Thank you for your (two) reviews! Haha, I'm joking, I didn't really expect that much anyway. Well, this chappie was a tiny bit longer than the last one, and we had a bit of Roxas' past in the end. **

**No Namixas fluff. Nadie. **

**But all that is to come. Please review, though I won't deprive you of chappies for that cause. I've come to learn that way of mind is retarded and selfish. Seriously, I know you all have lives. So have I. **

**Buenos noches, todos. **

Sneak Peek for following chappie:

"…_how long?"_

"…_he's dead."_

"_Where is my sister?"_

"_Hey, I'm Sora."_

**Disclaimer: The 'Noughts and Crosses' trilogy belongs to Malorie Blackman, and so does the idea. But the plot belongs to me, along with (most of) the written work. **


	4. Nobodies and Somebodies: Memoires

**(A/N: Hey guys! N&S is back! Starting with another flashback...)**

_n-O-b-O-d-Y_

_S-o-M-e-B-o-D-y_

_**M**_**.**e_m.__**oi.**_r_e__**s**_

* * *

_It was another one of those days. _

_My big sister and I were lazing about in our private swimming pool. Kairi was holding a non-alcoholic cocktail between her nail-polished fingers, her bikini showing off her perfect boobs tauntingly. In my polka-dotted one-piece swimsuit, I felt all the more inadequate next to her. _

_The sun shone across the pristine clear water of the pool, the flowers that lined the border adorning it even more. My gaze slowly moved to our Nobody gardener. _

_Kairi had had a crush on our gardener for as long as I could remember, but she refused to admit it. She did everything and anything to get his attention, (like how she loosened her bikini straps as soon as she saw him nearing). She insisted that she detested all Nobodies, yet the way she ogled our gardener showed otherwise. _

_Presently, our gardener stood up from trimming the flowers and started approaching us. _

"_Oh my god he caught me looking!" Kairi gasped, covering her mouth shut when she saw my knowing stare. "Aw, shut up YOU..."_

"_Gladly." I smiled smugly, picking up my towel. "You and Mr. Pool Guy obviously need some alone time..."_

_The glare she gave me would have looked murderous had she not been blushing fervently. "Namine!" She shrieked in protest. "I have no idea what you—"_

"_Um, excuse me, Miss?"_

_Kairi squealed at his voice, whipping around in shock and immediately fiddling with her hair flirtatiously. "Hey...um...how may I help you?"_

_He blinked, scratching the back of his chocolate brown spikes nervously with his grubby hands. His cerulean eyes darted in every possible direction except Kairi's chest. "Err...I was wondering if you had any extra pair of scissors?" He put a pair of broken scissors on display, looking shamefully at the ground. "My scissors broke..."_

_Kairi giggled, and I struggled not to roll my eyes. "Sure. Follow me..." My flirtatious big sister took him by the wrist and hauled him into the house. I didn't miss the blush that was slowly spreading across Pool Boy's cheeks. _

* * *

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

* * *

Tendrils of silver smoke emerged seeped from his lips, dancing across the air. He watched them trace an intricate pattern in the air absently, his bored eyes looking nowhere in particular. He brought his pale fingers to his hair, scratching at the spikes as he pondered over the fact that he was running short on shampoo.

He brought his cigarette to his lips to take another drag, and he heard an impolite hacking noise coming from the other end of the room.

He turned his cold eyes on her, and resisted the urge to snicker at the would-be murderous glare of their captive. "What?"

"C-Can you...please not do that here?" She stammered, her brave facade disappearing.

He chose to ignore her, but that only made her cough less inconspicuously. He sighed and put out his cigarette unwillingly. He tossed her an irritated glare before bringing out his gun and absentmindedly fiddling with it.

"Are...Are you gonna k-kill me?" Her faltering voice cut through the silence, and she nibbled fearfully on her lip. He looked at her pathetic figure; half-naked, her hair in a mess, her face stained with tears, her wrist bleeding through the covering...he found it hard not to laugh at her.

"...if your dad does what we tell him to..." Roxas mumbled, tracing the lining of his gun with his fingers. "No. We won't."

She shuddered in fear, and he rolled his eyes as she started crying silently. Girls were so emotional, he thought.

What seemed like an hour passed before she spoke again.

"Um..."

He reluctantly looked at her.

"Can...I kinda...need the b-bathroom..." He spotted the deep blush on her tanned cheeks as she fingered the hem of her skirt. (It must have cost at least two hundred munny, that uniform, he thought, judging from the silky-plaid material and all the accurate embroidery...someone like her wouldn't have to endure wearing itchy cotton underpants...).

He cursed out loud, cursing Axel and Demyx for leaving him alone with her. He reluctantly got to his feet, heading for the door. "Follow me."

* * *

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

* * *

She didn't need to be told twice.

Her bladders had started protesting, and the fact that she just _had _to be on her period when she was kidnapped didn't help much. Her stomach rumbled, but she was afraid that if she ate anything she would throw up.

She got to her feet, cautiously following him out of the cell.

What she noticed first was the fact that she was in some kind of apartment. A really, really small apartment. Unlike inside the cell, there was lighting, albeit dull. A dirty, broken table leaned against the wall, and the sofa that lay upturned on the floor was missing a lot of stuffing. The floor was also concrete and littered with old cigarettes, a few of them drowned in pools of water. The door was hanging by rusty hinges, looking like it was about to fall off any minute. She fought the urge to gag, scanning the room with disgust.

Her capturer gave her a silent glare. "What?"

She shook her head fervently, flinching at his glare. "N-Nothing..."

"Do you need the bathroom or not?" His voice was as cold as his glower, sending shivers up her spine. She noticed he was holding a small cubicle open, and she cautiously entered it. The bathroom was at least five times smaller than the one in her bedroom, and about ten times dirtier. A roll of tissue lay soaked on the ground, and a broken sink was haphazardly nailed to the wall, the facet dripping. The walls were a filthy yellow, and she didn't even want to find out what the liquid she was stepping on was. It stank, it reeked, it ponged...all the words in the thesaurus next to the word 'smell' couldn't describe the terrible odour.

She resisted the urge to cry and lifted up her skirt, emptying her bowels. She tried not to think of all the possible infections she could contract via extremely polluted toilet. She didn't even need to look inside the toilet to know that it wouldn't flush, and she hurriedly washed her hands before clambering out of the cubicle.

She shrieked as she whammed right into someone's chest, realizing who it was. She immediately recoiled, her cheeks flushing tremendously. "E-Excuse me..."

He ignored her apology, taking her by the wrist. An inexplicable sensation went through her at his touch, her heartbeat accelerating, but she didn't know if it was for fear or...

She shook her head vehemently. She hated him. Hated him. He had kidnapped her, brought her to this goddamn hellhole (excuse her language; she was just very upset), and made her miss the newest episode of _Pretty Little Liars_. All because of her stupid dad, with his stupid politicianal crap and his stupid racist mind.

She nearly broke into a new set of tears as she re-entered the cell, her capturer letting go of her wrist. She dejectedly sat down on the floor, feeling sick and depressed.

And for once in her life, she missed her big sister.

_

* * *

_

-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-

* * *

"_Admit it. You SO like him." _

_Kairi snapped her head in my direction as soon as I made that statement, her cheeks flushing considerably. She had her trademark glare on, her amethyst eyes radiating death. "I DO NOT."_

_Kairi had spent most of the day hanging out with Pool Boy, a.k.a, as she says, Sora, and it was obvious by the way she had a lovesick smile on whenever I came to pick her up at the park that she was madly into him. I don't blame her; he's quite the looker, albeit dumb. That's probably just because education was forbidden after the age of eleven, and he was a good fifteen years old, but didn't know half as much as Kairi. Kairi agreed to give him lessons, but I knew it was just an excuse to ogle him for a whole day non-stop._

"_You so do," I retort, crossing my arms as-a-matter-of-factly over my chest._

"_I do not," she replied, adding softly: "Besides...Sora's a Nobody."_

_The silence that followed was cold and depressing, and I had no idea what to say after that. She was right: he was a Nobody, which meant everything and anything in our family. The wind whipped at my big sister's princess crimson curls as she looked sadly over the horizon where Pool Boy had departed not too long ago. _

"_...so? Love has no boundaries," I added, trying to cheer her up. _

_Kairi raised an eyebrow at my sappiness. "Riiiight..." She rolled her eyes and started walking across the park to our home. I felt sad for her, and quickly followed, falling into step with her. _

"_I'm serious..." I continued, trying to get her to look at me. _

_Kairi's grip on her bookbag tightened, but she didn't say anything. _

"_Kai..." She really started to scare me, and I put my hand on her shoulder encouragingly. "I think you should go for it. Ask him out."_

_She didn't do at all what i thought she would, i.e. strangle me and yell at me until my ear drums exploded. She gave me a hopeful look, and she suddenly didn't look sixteen anymore. "Really?"_

_I nodded as convincingly as I could, and she seemed to buy it. She gave me a genuine smile, and ruffled my hair. "You know, maybe you aren't so annoying after all."_

_I struck an arrogant pose and she giggled, and I soon joined in. As we were heading home, she took my hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Don't worry, you'll find someone. Some day. You'll have to wait for the guy that's brave enough to climb all the way up to the top of the tree."_

* * *

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

* * *

"Here."

She snapped out of her flashback and gasped as she saw her blond kidnapper at her eye level. He was holding a container of some sort, with a metal spoon and a juice box. Her stomach immediately rumbled, until she saw the numerous soap stains on the spoon and the container. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, missing her porcelain china. The things she took for granted...

"What?" He was looking at her impatiently, a frown playing on his face.

"How do I know you aren't trying to poison me?"

He stared at her in exhausted disbelief, rolled his eyes, and then stuffed a spoonful of rice in his mouth.

She stared at him incredulously, watching as he chewed the spoonful, holding out the meal for her. He swallowed, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "Happy?"

"Th-this is some kind of trap. I don't want your pity. Y-You kidnapped me, and you expect me to just accept your germ-filled filth? I h-haven't even brushed my teeth yet—"

Her words were halted as he stuffed the spoon in her mouth, and she resisted the urge to moan at the sweet-and-sour goodness. How did he know it was her favorite food? She lapped at assorted meal hungrily, smacking her lips for extra measure. She didn't notice she had closed her eyes until she opened them.

She swore she caught the lopsided smile that graced his lips. She flushed at his concentrated gaze, taking the container gingerly. The heavenly smell made her mouth water, and she looked gratefully at her captor, smiling. "Thank you."

His smile vanished two seconds after it appeared, and he froze, his eyes harbouring the lost, depressed, lonely look that she saw on him the first time they met. He looked away, his expression painful as if he'd just done something wrong, while Namine inspected his face in concern.

"Are you...?"

"I'm...I gotta..." He didn't finish his sentence as he left the room, her eyes following his figure until he closed the door behind him.

She sighed, tucking into her food. When she was done, she lapped at the spoon like a thirsty cat. She immediately froze and flushed profusely as she remembered that that particular spoon was previously in Roxas' mouth. If Kairi was there, she would have probably called it an indirect kiss.

She shook the thought away, picking up the lukewarm juice box and washing away the residue from the back of her throat. Her soon drifted back to her captor; she knew there was something interesting about him. She didn't know how or why, but she knew that he wasn't a bad guy at heart. If only she could get through the shell that hid his inner self...

He couldn't have been older that her, okay, maybe a year or two, but not any older. His eyes glowed more than any other Nobody she'd ever known. And he was sad. So, so sad. And whenever he looked at her, her stomach tightened at the intense melancholy in his gaze. She wanted to find out what had made him so glum, and help him out of the dismal sorrow...

_What am I doing, brooding over a Nobody?_ She thought, crumpling her juice box. _Besides, I don't even know his name..._

She sighed, leaning against the wall and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

* * *

In the rich aristocrat district of Radiant Garden, a very desperate auburn-haired young-adult was running. Her pink gown billowing behind her as she ran, her hair bouncing against her back at every step she took, and her face flushed in exhaustion, she reminded herself Cinderella fleeing after the ball.

She shook the childish and random thought away, as there were more important matters at hand. Like how her sister was currently under hostage. She couldn't leave for a sleepover for one night without coming back to find her little sister had gone missing.

She turned the next corner and saw her familiar ebony gate, nearly tripping over her boots as she reached it. She knocked hurriedly on the exterior, panting in exhaustion.

Her doorkeeper opened the gate after verifying it was her. "Oh, Miss Kairi. What a pleasure it is to—"

"Where's my sister?" Kairi demanded, her fists clenched. The doorkeeper chuckled nervously, shrugging. "You don't know? D-Didn't you let her in yesterday evening?"

"Why…she didn't come back from school, so I assumed she was at a friend's house," he replied sheepishly, nervously fingering his collar.

"You _assumed_ she was at a friend's?" Kairi's gaze darkened dangerously. "Don't you know how dangerous the streets are at this time of the year? How could you just…just…" Her voice hitched in her throat as she felt a sob coming on, and she raced into the house.

Her boots made a loud clanking sound against the tiles, but she couldn't be bothered to change into her indoor footwear as required. She dashed up to her Dad's room, the package in her bookbag hitting against her leg. She knew this was all her Dad's fault; everything was his fault. She had already read the letter, (opening the parcel anyway without his consent, but he hadn't even known he had a received a parcel so it wasn't technically disobeying) and she knew that they would never be able to save Naminé unless she showed him the letter. He was the only one who could do something about it, if they wanted to preserve Naminé's life.

"Father! Father!" She yelled desperately.

"What did I tell you about knocking?" Her father's eyes were set in their trademark frown, and he was pored over his desk, sorting out papers, as usual. Being the next possible candidate for Prime Minister, Ansem the Wise was a very strict, cold figure. He was a no-nonsense man, and obviously cared more for his reputation than for his family. His family itself had fallen to pieces as he divorced his wife three years prior, only keeping the children to keep his fatherly reputation in the press. His office was decorated with many pictures of himself. Himself with the present Prime Minister. Himself with the Parliament. Himself with the Presidents of neighbouring states and regions. Himself with everyone except his family itself.

"Father, it's j-just that Naminé—"

"Not now, Kairi," he mumbled dismissively.

"I'm talking to you, father!" Kairi went on desperately. "You have to listen to me!"

"How many times will I have to tell you **I'm busy?**"

Kairi flinched as his voice rose, but quickly got over her shock and muttered bitterly: "Fine. You'd rather let your own daughter die than miss becoming Prime Minister."

Ansem's head snapped up at that. "What…did you say?"

Kairi marched up to his desk and slammed the parcel and the letter down onto his desk. "There! If you don't sort this out, Naminé will die."

Ansem quickly scanned over the letter before ripping open the parcel, muttering something along the lines of 'Damn blankers', followed by an array of curses. He shoved the video recording into his computer, pushing the play button.

And what they saw made Kairi's blood freeze, and Ansem's blood boil.

* * *

_-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-N&S-_

* * *

Roxas ran his fingers through his hair. For some reason, he couldn't get what she said out of his head, neither what came with it. _Thank you. _And then a smile. An angelic, warm, grateful smile. When last had someone smiled at him with such warmth? Never.

_Thank you._

Those were the last words Ventus had said before he…

His growled, cradling his head and trying to blot out the horrible memories. He walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it. For some reason he felt an intense sadness, and he didn't know why. Whenever he saw her face, he immediately started having flashbacks, seeing the blood all over his clothes, seeing the people laughing, their white teeth clashing with their tanned skin, the sneering and jeering and pushing and shoving…

There was an energetic knock on the door, two taps, then a kick. It couldn't have been Axel, who generally just hollered or climbed in from a despicable location. Roxas walked to the door and demanded the password.

"DDR-38…6," the figure on the other side replied, unsure. Roxas was wary to open the door, but obliged and did anyway.

As he opened the door, he was met with chocolate brown spikes, cerulean blue eyes, and a smile that was too happy-go-lucky for his comfort. The guy was about his height and age, and was waving dumbly in his direction. "Are you Roxas?"

"Yeh…" Roxas replied hesitantly. "And…who are you?"

"New recruit from the Stiletto cell," he replied, shrugging and outstretching his hand. "Hey, I'm Sora."

* * *

**Okay, so some of the sneek peeks I put in the end of the last chappie aren't actually valid. Sorry, but they'll be in the NEXT chappie. School and life are being hard on me now, so the updates will come slower and slower. Until the holidays, which are in two weeks! YAY! **

**Well, thank you for your few reviews. I know this story doesn't merit anything at all, but I'm gonna keep typing anyway. Maybe, eventually, it will be good enough.**

**No Sneek Peeks, cause at the moment I'm not really sure. See you next chappie, and R&R. **

**Disclaimer: The 'Noughts and Crosses' trilogy belongs to Malorie Blackman, and so does the idea. But the plot belongs to me, along with the written work. **


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